Planning begins for Millard Gates site

Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital could be replaced with a town center-like development, anchored by a strong residential and neighborhood business component that utilizes some of the existing structures while seeing other new buildings constructed.

The town center concept emerged as the preferred redevelopment option for the 10-acre property where Delaware Avenue and Gates Circle meet. The concept was crafted by eight planning and architectural consultants that studied the hospital complex and met with community leaders for the past five days under the auspices of the Urban Land Institute. The Washington-based Urban Land Institute was hired by Kaleida Health to offer options for the Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital property, which is scheduled to be closed next year and have its services shifted to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

The consultants, Friday morning, offered a first glance at what could happen to the property. It was, merely, one suggestion.

A definitive redevelopment plan is months away and won’t be cemented until further meetings — both private and public — are held. Public sessions are tentatively set for this summer.

“Kaleida does not wish to be in the redevelopment business,” said Michael Beyard, a senior resident fellow emeritus with the Urban Land Institute. “It is outside of their mission.”

The consultant team, which interviewed more than 200 people, focused on three possible scenarios for the Gates Circle property. Two were dismissed — mothballing the hospital complex and demolishing the buildings, which would leave a vacant 10-acre parcel at one of Buffalo’s signature intersections — for cost and community outrage reasons.

Instead, the team suggested Kaleida deed the property over to a not-for-profit development agency, whose mission would be bring the complex back to life. Kaleida’s upfront investment could approach $13.2 million, but much of those funds would be recouped as the property is redeveloped.

“The value of the site is directly related to other sites,” Beyard said. “It requires a comprehensive effort in this neighborhood.”

Jill Bensley, a California-based economist and planner, suggested the nearly 800,000-square-foot hospital property could be pared down to 660,000-square-feet anchored by the development of 150 condominiums and 150 apartments — all market-rate units, along with a 30-room boutique hotel, 35,000-square-feet of limited retail or restaurant space, 60 units of extended-care apartments and 35,000-square-feet of medical-based office space.

Bensley said she believes the combined 300 units could be absorbed in about three years after the project is completed and not adversely impact other residential developments either in the Delaware District or elsewhere in Buffalo.

The current 10-story main hospital building would be reduced to five stories.

“That alone would get rid of what I call ‘The Great Wall of Buffalo,’ “ said Washington architect David Haresign.

The existing, neighboring 600-space parking ramp would be expanded by another 150 spaces.

And, to create a town center-like feel, Lancaster Avenue should be extended through the property, connecting with Linwood Avenue.

“The strategy is very simple,” said Michael Maxwell, a Miami planner. “It’s called balancing. What’s at stake is what is in the best interest of the community.”

The town center plan would also serve as an urban bridge that would connect the hospital’s eastern neighbors with its western streets and residents.

Under a proposed schedule the Urban Land Institute team offered, after Kaleida deeds the hospital property to the development agency in charge of the project — something that could happen by late 2012, negotiations and planning with a proposed private sector development could begin and take up much of 2013.

Construction would not begin until early 2014.

“At some point, the neighborhood must remember the hospital will be gone and you will have to carry on without it,” said Tom Cox, the former Pittsburgh Mayor’s Office chief of staff.